Severe flooding hits Davao City

Subscribe Now January 22, 2013 at 05:07pm

Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio has suspended classes from kindergarten to high school levels Monday due to severe flooding as the Davao River and several tributaries in the city overflowed following a 20-hour light to heavy downpour brought by the tail-end of the cold front since Saturday afternoon. Emmanuel Jaldon, chief of the Emergency Response Center Central 911, said the mayor ordered the suspension of classes as 12 barangays were submerged due to the rising water level and strong current of the Davao River.

“The flooding is very severe since the water level almost reaches the bridges and has gone beyond the riverbanks consequently affecting a large number of populated areas,” Jaldon said.

He said emergency equipment and teams, and volunteer rescue groups were deployed in the affected communities, particularly those located along the Davao River.

Jaldon said since 9:00 p.m. Saturday, the Tamugan River, a major tributary of the Davao River in the southern portion of the city started to overflow which prompted them to warn the downstream communities that water level would surely rise after a few hours.

He said Lasang River in the northern part, also swelled as early as Saturday, causing 90 families along its river banks to evacuate to the Navarro National High School.

Jaldon said initial warning had been issued as of 9:00 a.m. Saturday due to the flooding upstream but many did not heed the advice.

“Most of them did not want to leave their homes despite the warning,” he said.